Small island dwellers told to work harder over climate change negotiations

People in small islands in the Pacific have been told they must work harder to avoid being pushed to one side in global climate change and sustainable development negotiations.

The Marshall Islands Fisheries Director Glen Joseph was speaking at a meeting of the Small Island Developing States group at the United Nations in New York.

He says the agenda of small islands - on fisheries, climate change and development - is repeatedly undermined by the weight of policies from developed nations who have been reaping benefits at the expense of small countries.

He says the Marshall Islands and other small islands need to frame the agenda to gain action from the international community, instead of just rhetoric.

Mr Joseph says small islands have to develop strategies to keep their agenda in the centre of global discussions and to get the bigger nations to support their sustainable development goals.